Chem Lights

I’m new to the use of chem lights and am a bit confused. I see different units or teams using yellow/red/blue chem lights. Is there a standard for what each of these are used for? In my area a lot of patrol guys are throwing chem lights in their active shooter bags but don’t really know their purpose. I’m looking to spread the knowledge if there is a set military/ swat / EOD purpose for these colors.
 

ggammell

Does not pass up an opportunity to criticize P&S.
As a patrol/uniformed guy (sample of 1) is have red and blue in my AS/go bag. Red to mark hazards or items of special interest for others to examine/steer clear of. I use blue strictly for marking places LE is present (such as RTF moving to my location to treat wounded). In training I have seen countless officers blow right past the rooms they’ve been directed to go to so maybe a little blue glow tick might help.
 

Oak City Tactics

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
That’s the downside of being a sample of one. Not everybody knows what you intend the color to represent. I would suggest drawing up a plan or key for the colors that makes sense. Take that plan to the person in your agency whose lane those decisions are and discuss the need. You mentioned RTF. You have to sell the idea to the RTF as well as the other potentially affected agencies befor all the stake holders decide. Then you come back to the policy makers in your agency and get it written down. In some places this is simple task in others it’s a much bigger undertaking. If everyone doesn’t buy in though, it’s just confusion. If it were me I’d sell it to the largest agency and Emergency Mgmt or EMS. That’s the kind of traction you are looking for.
 

ggammell

Does not pass up an opportunity to criticize P&S.
That’s the downside of being a sample of one. Not everybody knows what you intend the color to represent. I would suggest drawing up a plan or key for the colors that makes sense. Take that plan to the person in your agency whose lane those decisions are and discuss the need. You mentioned RTF. You have to sell the idea to the RTF as well as the other potentially affected agencies befor all the stake holders decide. Then you come back to the policy makers in your agency and get it written down. In some places this is simple task in others it’s a much bigger undertaking. If everyone doesn’t buy in though, it’s just confusion. If it were me I’d sell it to the largest agency and Emergency Mgmt or EMS. That’s the kind of traction you are looking for.

I should have mentioned that I’m going to be communicating not only the room number but the blue marker lights to the team coming to assist. It’s more of just a “hey tunnel vision cop, here we are” because I’ve seen over and over again in training that cops don’t real the room number signs on the wall. And that’s just in training.

And if you’re talking about selling RTF we are already way past that and have implemented it region wide.
 
Top